Penfolds Rare 50 Year Old Tawny Series 3

Written By Campbell Mattinson
Presentation bottle and box of Penfolds Rare 50 Year Old Tawny Series 3.

Penfolds Rare 50 Year Old Tawny Series 3
A$3500, 19.7% alcohol, cork, Barossa Valley.

Each year Penfolds releases 330 bottles (only) of its rare 50-year-old tawny to the world. The 50-year date relates to an average, approximate age; the actual vintages used span (an incredible) 101 years. It’s made using Shiraz, Grenache, Mataro and Cabernet Sauvignon, Barossa-grown, though small amounts of other varieties are also included.

The price may well be in 'stupid' territory but the quality is quite ridiculously good. Yes to fabulous intensity and yes to a complex array of flavours but that everlasting linger of flavour to the finish is a blaze of glory if ever there was one. It’s spicy and intensely sweet, aged and fresh all at once. It’s mind-blowing. It tastes of fig and coffee and a wild array of more. 99 points – Campbell Mattinson.

Campbell Mattinson

Campbell Mattinson has been an independent journalist, wine critic and photographer for forty years. He founded The Winefront, is a former chief editor of the Halliday Wine Companion (and former editor of Halliday magazine), and is the only Australian to have won the Australian Wine Communicator of the Year Award more than once. He is 100% independent, and tastes between 5,000 and 10,000 wines each year, blind and in comparative brackets as often as is practicable.

More about Campbell Mattinson

Mattinson is also the founder of the Mattinson Photography business.

https://www.campbellmattinson.com
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